


Bound to You

by YourShadow



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Feels, I ship eruri so hard, M/M, Songfic, eruri - Freeform, moments from acwnr to the latest chapters of aot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-13
Updated: 2014-07-13
Packaged: 2018-02-08 18:07:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1950987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YourShadow/pseuds/YourShadow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi was bound to Erwin the moment he said he would join the Scouting Legion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bound to You

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: The song is by Christina Aguilera, the manga written by Gan Sunaaku, but Isayama owns everything Attack on Titan, sooo….yeah.
> 
> Based off Chapter 8 of A Choice with No Regrets because the Eruri is strong with that one, as well as recent chapters of Attack on Titan for later segments.

_Sweet love, sweet love,_

_Trapped in your love_  

Levi was trapped. He couldn’t get out of the alley without being caught on one end or the other. They were all around him, waiting for his move. He grit his teeth, clenching the propulsion gear in his hands.

Suddenly he was falling to the ground, something heavy pulling him, grabbing him, holding on tightly. He was trapped in the embrace, struggling in the grip of the man who caught him. Where did he come from? Who was he?

Looking up from the ground, knees in the dirty sewer water, hands tied behind his back, he saw Erwin Smith.

_I’ve opened up, unsure I can trust_

“I’ll join.” He told the man. He couldn’t deny those blue eyes…or the knives threatening his comrades. Plus, their next mission had to do with documents this man had, so what better way to sneak them out from under his nose?

He would act the loyal soldier, gain the man’s trust, and slit his throat the first chance he got.

Of course, he didn’t plan on ever truly trusting the man. Or falling in love.

_My heart and I were buried in dust_

He learned quickly not to show any affection. It was a weakness, a vulnerability he couldn’t afford to have. Not with how small he was. Not with where he grew up, and who he grew up with. Not with the thugs all around, waiting for him to fall. No, love was far away from him, out of his reach.

And when he grew up, he asked himself: who could ever love a thug like me? No one.

So he locked his heart inside of a cage, felt it beating against the bars, fighting for life. But the cage was locked and he threw away the key. He never expected someone to pick it up…

_Free me, free us…_

They were stuck with the Survey Corps. Farlan and Isabel looked to him for answers he didn’t have. They couldn’t leave. They had nowhere to go. He wondered what Erwin would do to them once he found out the truth.

They just wanted to be free. With this mission complete, they could go wherever they wanted, be whoever they wanted. No longer sewer rats buried in the Underground scrounging for scraps.

If only Erwin would give them what they wanted and let them go.

_You’re all I need, when I’m holding you tight_

Levi sobbed into his chest, clutching the cape tightly. Their blood was still on his hands. He could feel it, filthy, dirty, disgusting. It was his fault. He kept washing them, but they would never be clean.

He cried out their names, and Erwin was there, clutching him close and rubbing his back. He whispered in his ear, telling him to let it out, it was okay to cry, it was okay to feel. He slammed his fist into Erwin’s chest, wanting to cause him pain, wanting him to feel exactly how he felt.

Farlan and Isabel were gone, and it was all his fault. He got them into this mess, he let them go on the expedition knowing they weren’t ready. He didn’t try hard enough to get the information faster.

His friends were dead, and he was to blame.

_If you walk away I will suffer tonight_

Levi didn’t let him go. He couldn’t let Erwin leave him too.

“Don’t go. Please.” He begged, tears leaving trails down his cheeks.

“I have to. Don’t worry, I’m coming back.” Erwin promised. He tugged his arm free, walking away.

“Erwin! I need you!” Levi called after him.

Erwin turned back to him. “I’ll be right here. Get some rest.”

Levi reached out for him. Erwin was all he had left. If he died too, Levi would be alone. He didn’t want to be alone. He finally found someone to belong to…

_I found a man I can trust_

_And boy, I believe in us_

_I am terrified to love for the first time_

_Can you see that I’m bound in chains?_

_I’ve finally found my way_

_I am bound to you_

Levi found himself putting faith in someone he once thought was an enemy. Even though his friends were gone, he stayed with Erwin. The mission be damned. He belonged here, anchored to this man at his side. He became a soldier: Humanity’s Strongest.

He killed all the titans in his way. Each one he imagined having killed Farlan or Isabel to keep his hatred burning. They would all pay. They forced him to live Underground, forced Isabel and Farlan to join him, forced the Survey Corps out on that expedition.

He no longer blamed himself. Erwin told him it would be better to turn his anger on the titans, since he could actually do something about them. He was the best. He was the angriest. Erwin unleashed him on their enemies both inside and outside of the walls, watching as he cut a rage-filled path of destruction.

_I am bound to you_

They would lie awake at night in each other’s arms. Levi told him about his past, about how he crawled his way to the top of the food chain, staining his hands with blood and surrounding himself with the stench of death. They called him Leviathan, an ancient demon from the banned history books, a murderous creature hellbent on chaos and bloodshed. It was a fitting title.

Captain, however, sounded even better. It also put Levi directly under Erwin’s command, the chains around him pulling tighter.

_So much, so young_

_I’ve faced on my own_  

Levi wasn’t used to depending on anyone. He was always relying on himself, or being the leader with others to rely on him. With Erwin it felt like he could let go of the reigns and let someone else guide him.

He was still too young for the lifetime of heinous acts he was forced to watch or participate in. Sometimes he woke screaming from one nightmare or another.

Kaney…the titans killing Farlan and Isabel…his life in the Underground…

Erwin held him close, hushing him and stroking his hair. “Hush now…hush.”

_Walls I built up became my home_

It took a while for Erwin to get past his barriers, to break the walls around his heart and open that cage. Levi didn’t want to fall easily. He didn’t want to be caught up in desire, only to be tossed away.

“You did it because you wanted me to be a soldier. _Your_ soldier.” Levi accused him.

“Yes, but it’s more than that…” Erwin sighed. They argued about this a lot.

“That’s all I am to you, a tool.”

“No. You’re everything to me.”

“Stop it! Stop saying that! I fucking hate you!” Levi yelled, throwing his gear at the Commander. “You took them away from me!” he howled, face wet.

Erwin stepped forward, letting the blows come as Levi fought against him, sobbing again. This was almost their normal routine. Levi wouldn’t let him inside.

_I’m strong and I’m sure there’s a fire in us_

Nevertheless, Levi always came back to him.

“I’m sorry.” He kissed his jaw, his neck, his shoulder. Crawling into his arms, mumbling apologies and kissing the bruises away. “So sorry.” He whispered in Erwin’s ear.

“It’s okay, I understand.” Erwin whispered back, holding him close.

There were times they made love. There were times they fucked each other into a wall or over the desk. There were times they just lay together, breathing in sync, hearts beating as one.

_Sweet love, so pure…_

Erwin was lying in bed reading when he heard the door open and looked up. Levi was upset as he barged into Erwin’s room, took off his boots mid-stride, and slumped onto Erwin’s chest. His arm was pushed out of the way so Levi could lay on top of him, head buried in his shirt, eyes closed tightly.

“Bad day today?” Erwin ask, running a hand through Levi’s hair. Muffled sounds were his only response as the Captain continued to lay there, doing nothing. Erwin used one hand to hold the book and read as the other continued to stoke Levi’s hair in a comforting manner. Occasionally he would lift his hand to turn a page and Levi would tense up before the hand returned.

This was their ritual. It made Levi feel better, and Erwin enjoyed comforting him.

_I catch my breath with just one beating heart_

He was scared. Things were going wrong. Everything was crashing down around them. The Military Police were scheming, the titans were advancing, and the kids weren’t alright.

Levi looked at the stub of Erwin’s arm, the arm he slashed on that day he decided to trust him, give everything to him. He wanted to reach out and feel it still there. He wanted both of those strong arms to be around him, trapping him in Erwin’s warmth.

But Erwin looked away.

_And I brace myself, please don’t tear this apart_

He was going to turn himself in to the Military Police.

“Don’t do this. It’s stupid. You know what they’ll do to you.” Levi felt like it was happening all over again. He was begging once again, on his knees before the Commander. He didn’t care who saw. He didn’t care what he had to do to make Erwin stay this time.

“I have to, you know that. Besides, I already made Hanji the new Commander.” Erwin leaned down, placing his hand on Levi’s shoulder. “It’s up to you now. You can do this. I trust you.”

Levi shook his head. He couldn’t do this alone. He couldn’t trust himself. Not with these kids looking up to him like _they_ did, so long ago. They would all perish beneath his grasp, like Farlan and Isabel. They would be dead, and it would be his fault.

And Erwin wouldn’t be there to comfort him anymore.

_Suddenly the moment’s here_

_I embrace my fears_

_All that I have been carrying all these years_

_Do I risk it all? Come this far just to fall?_

_Fall?_

Levi did as he was told. He kept hoping that one day Erwin would return to him. He made a plan, taking the youngest members away from the city, away from the Military Police hunting them down. He had to be strong, for Erwin, for the ones who trusted him.

Levi could feel himself falling again. He couldn’t sleep at night. He wanted to be in Erwin’s arms. He wanted to rest his head against that sturdy chest and feel safe, whole, alive. He wanted to storm the Military Police headquarters, he wanted to slaughter them all, dragging Erwin away from their dirty, grimy, bloodstained hands.

He had to save the kids, get them out of harm’s way, ensure their survival and the survival of humanity. It all fell to his shoulders. He couldn’t crumble under the weight. He couldn’t let himself fall.

Not yet. Not here.

_Oh, I can trust, and boy I believe in us_

_I am terrified to love for the first time_

_Can’t you see that I’m bound in chains?_

_And finally found my way_

He was waiting for the day Erwin would return to him, counting down the hours, clenching his fist and holding himself back from sending it into a wall. He had to be patient. He had to have trust in Erwin.

Because he knew if the man died, everything Levi knew would die with him.

After all, they were chained together, bound soul to soul. They made that pact a long time ago, tying themselves to each other. It kept them going, thinking about the survival of the other. Erwin knew he could trust Levi, he was everything the Commander needed and wanted. If the world fell away and it was just them, nothing would matter.

_I am bound to you_

_I am, oooh I am_

_I’m bound to you_

Levi kept waiting.

**Author's Note:**

> Author’s Note: (cries) I feel like in the latest chapters of Attack on Titan Levi is just internally screaming the entire time.
> 
> This was inspired partly by an rp I’ve been doing with luciferslovelies from tumblr and reading ACWNR, as well as some of my own Eruri headcanons.


End file.
